Reilly Brennan
About
Reilly Brennan lives in San Francisco but will always be a Detroiter at heart. He is the Executive Director of the Revs Automotive Research Program at Stanford and teaches a class on heroes and Dale Earnhardt at the Stanford d.school. He created a car photo thingy called Carmagnum.
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Tableau: Los Angeles, June 2012
Snapshots from my trip to Los Angeles last week, another one of those great experiences where I managed to hit a variety of high and low LA culture — in my experience the only way to get the best feel out of the place.
A crafty trailer, trying to suck in a few more miles per, courtesy of a rear air valence. Seen on the 5 near Fresno.
LA is a difficult hotel town; everything is either $400+ or around $100 (but near the airport). For that reason and others I love the Avalon on West Olympic, redone a few years back by Bonnie Brennan favorite Kelly Wearstler. It is a part of the Brad Korzen Kor Group and after my third stay there in about as many years I still love it and the prices are really reasonable (about $200/night).
Cracked a sliver of light into my room on the third floor early in the morning.
My lunch meeting at Tom Bergin’s, one of those hardy old LA spots with an old bar and tight-fitting booths. I met Matt DeLorenzo, who was only days beyond Hearst’s Road & Track sacrifice.
On the ground floor of the Petersen Automotive Museum parking lot, if you park in the right spot, you can browse their overflow collection.
My meeting with Leslie Kendall exposed his completely awesome keyboard.
Inside the Petersen, my first ever EB 110 sighting, like a stab in the eye. So gray, so out of control.
Their display of Italian design is small but well curated. The Bertone-designed 1970 Lancia Stratos HF Zero held my attention for 10 minutes. Yes, off to the side that’s one of the AMEX Gold DeLorean DMC-12s.
The setup for XGames was in process, as was the security, so I just walked right in and onto the double loop-de-loop.
Later that night I shot out to Topanga Canyon to visit Dr. Laramie, now proudly ensconced at his hillside manse in Topanga. Along with his wife Elisa they served me a dinner almost completely grown from their garden and Dave showed me some of the new stuff he had been learning. His new appreciation for UDHJSA grad Richard Tarnas is palpable.
Peppercorn trees in their yard.
A random-number-generating light orb at Dave’s desk, controllable by your mind, brah — the kind of thing that feels just totally normal in Topanga.
Breakfast back at the Avalon, a quiet, mellow way to start the day.
Up in Burbank for a meeting; Autobooks and Aerobooks is such an incredible bookstore, they are one of the last great retail spots for car love.
To P&R’s house high in the Hollywood Hills, one of those little ranch houses with nooks and crannies and warmth and courtyards. Dinner on Friday night with some friends, Greg holding court.
To Malibu for a birthday party
Decadent Malibu I-started-a-clothing-company view.
Brendan had a Tycho-inspired 1976 tattoo.
Homemade ale, by the guy who also brought a great Meade telescope for viewing Saturn. I didn’t try it but the label was great.
Night falls on Malibu
Heading north on flight 991.
- Saturday July 14, 2012
- Posted at 12:13 pm
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- tags: #tableau #los angeles
- Notes: 1
